Mobile fluid sprayer system

Abstract

In a mobile fluid sprayer system, sprayer booms are connected to a vehicle by joint structure which permits the boom to pivot upwardly and rearwardly upon engagement with obstructions. The sprayer booms are normally positioned in laterally extending orientations relative to the vehicle by cables which extend angularly upwardly from the booms and are connected to brackets which are pivotally supported on the vehicle. The brackets are spring biased upwardly, and fluid cylinders are employed to damp pivotal movement of the brackets. In this manner the sprayer booms are allowed to pivot freely upwardly upon engagement with obstructions but the return movement of the sprayer booms to the normal positions is substantially damped. Likewise, the sprayer booms are allowed to pivot freely rearwardly upon engagement with obstructions but the return movement of the sprayer booms is substantially damped by means of fluid cylinders which are operatively connected to the booms during their return movement. The damping rate is graduated in both the vertical plane and the horizontal plane such that the rate is greatest when the sprayer booms are at or near the normal positions and is substantially reduced when the sprayer booms are pivoted out of the normal positions.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A mobile fluid sprayer system comprising: a vehicle adapted for movement over a surface;   fluid reservoir means mounted on the vehicle;   means mounted on the vehicle for withdrawing fluid from the fluid reservoir means and for applying pressurized fluid;   at least one sprayer boom means mounted on the vehicle and including a fluid passageway extending from the means for supplying pressurized fluid to at least one fluid discharge nozzle;   means for normally positioning the sprayer boom means in a laterally extending orientation relative to the vehicle and permitting the sprayer boom means to pivot freely upwardly and rearwardly in response to engagement of the sprayer boom means with an obstruction;   means for damping the return movement of the sprayer boom means from a pivoted position relative to the vehicle to the normal position relative thereto; and   the damping means further comprising means to damp the return movement of the sprayer boom means at a graduated rate with the damping rate being greatest when the sprayer boom means is at or near the normal position and with the damping rate being reduced as the sprayer boom means is pivoted away from the normal position.   
     
     
       2. A mobile fluid sprayer system comprising: a vehicle adapted for movement over a surface;   fluid reservoir means mounted on the vehicle;   means mounted on the vehicle for withdrawing fluid from the fluid reservoir means and for applying pressurized fluid;   at least one sprayer boom means mounted on the vehicle and including a fluid passageway extending from the means for supplying pressurized fluid to at least one fluid discharge nozzle;   means for normally positioning the sprayer boom means in a laterally extending orientation relative to the vehicle and permitting the sprayer boom means to pivot freely upwardly and rearwardly in response to engagement of the sprayer boom means with an obstruction;   means for damping the return movement of the sprayer boom means from a pivoted position relative to the vehicle to the normal position relative thereto; and   the inboard end of the sprayer boom means being pivotally connected to the vehicle by joint means which accomodate pivotal movement of the sprayer boom means about perpendicular axes which are in turn mutually perpendicular to the sprayer boom means.   
     
     
       3. A mobile fluid sprayer system comprising: a vehicle adapted for movement over a surface;   fluid reservoir means mounted on the vehicle;   means mounted on the vehicle for withdrawing fluid from the fluid reservoir means and for applying pressurized fluid;   at least one sprayer boom means mounted on the vehicle and including a fluid passageway extending from the means for supplying pressurized fluid to at least one fluid discharge nozzle;   means for normally positioning the sprayer boom means in a laterally extending orientation relative to the vehicle and permitting the sprayer boom means to pivot freely upwardly and rearwardly in response to engagement of the sprayer boom means with an obstruction;   means for damping the return movement of the sprayer boom means from a pivoted position relative to the vehicle to the normal position relative thereto;   the means for normally positioning the sprayer boom means in a predetermined lateral orientation relative to the vehicle comprising a pair of cables each connected to the sprayer boom means at a predetermined point, one of the cables extending angularly upwardly and forwardly from the sprayer boom means and the other cable extending angularly upwardly and rearwardly from the sprayer boom means, and means connecting the cables to the vehicle at points located forwardly and rearwardly from the point of connection of the sprayer boom means thereto.   
     
     
       4. A mobile fluid sprayer system comprising: a vehicle adapted for movement over a surface;   fluid reservoir means mounted on the vehicle;   means mounted on the vehicle for withdrawing fluid from the fluid reservoir means and for applying pressurized fluid;   at least one sprayer boom means mounted on the vehicle and including a fluid passageway extending from the means for supplying pressurized fluid to at least one fluid discharge nozzle;   means for normally positioning the sprayer boom means in a laterally extending orientation relative to the vehicle and permitting the sprayer boom means to pivot freely upwardly and rearwardly in response to engagement of the sprayer boom means with an obstruction;   means for damping the return movement of the sprayer boom means from a pivoted position relative to the vehicle to the normal position relative thereto; and   the damping means is further characterized by first and second fluid cylinder means, one of the cylinder means primarily for damping vertical return movement of the sprayer boom means and the other fluid cylinder means primarily for damping horizontal return movement of the sprayer boom means.   
     
     
       5. A vehicular sprayer boom mounting comprising: an elongate sprayer boom;   means for supporting the sprayer boom on a vehicle and for normally positioning the sprayer boom in a laterally extending orientation relative to the vehicle;   means for permitting the sprayer boom to pivot freely rearwardly in response to engagement of the sprayer boom with an obstruction;   means for substantially damping return movement of the sprayer boom from a rearwardly pivoted position to the normal position;   means permitting the sprayer boom to pivot freely upwardly in response to engagement of the sprayer boom with an obstruction; and   means for substantially damping return movement of the sprayer boom from an upwardly pivoted position to the normal position.   
     
     
       6. The mobile fluid sprayer system according to claim 5 wherein the damping means functions to damp the return movement of the sprayer boom means at a graduated rate with the damping rate being greatest when the sprayer boom means is at or near the normal position and with the damping rate being reduced as the sprayer boom means is pivoted away from the normal position. 
     
     
       7. The vehicular sprayer boom mounting according to claim 5 wherein the means for supporting the sprayer boom on a vehicle includes joint means connecting the sprayer boom to the vehicle and permitting pivotal movement of the sprayer boom relative to the vehicle about axes which are perpendicular to each other and which are in turn mutually perpendicular to an axis extending longitudinally along the sprayer boom. 
     
     
       8. The vehicular sprayer boom mounting according to claim 7 wherein the means for normally positioning the sprayer boom in a laterally extending orientation relative to the vehicle includes: bracket means supported on the vehicle for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis; and   a pair of cables each connected between the bracket means and the boom;   one of the cables extending from a predetermined point on the boom to a point on the bracket means located forwardly of the boom and the other cable extending from a predetermined point on the boom to a point on the bracket means located rearwardly of the boom.   
     
     
       9. The vehicular sprayer boom mounting according to claim 8 wherein the means for damping return movement of the sprayer boom from an upwardly pivoted position to the normal position includes: means permitting the bracket means to pivot upwardly; and   fluid cylinder means for upward and downward pivotal movement of the bracket means.   
     
     
       10. The vehicular sprayer boom mounting according to claim 5 wherein the means for damping return movement of the boom from a rearwardly pivoted position to the normal position includes: fluid cylinder means;   means causing the fluid cylinder means to follow the sprayer boom during rearward pivotal movement thereof; and   means operatively interconnecting the fluid cylinder means and the boom during return movement of the boom so that the fluid cylinder means damps the return movement of the boom to the normal position.   
     
     
       11. A vehicular sprayer boom mounting comprising: elongate sprayer boom means;   means connecting the sprayer boom means to a vehicle;   means for normally positioning the sprayer boom means in a laterally extending orientation relative to the vehicle;   means permitting the sprayer boom means to pivot freely rearwardly relative to the vehicle in response to engagement of the sprayer boom means with an obstruction;   means for damping the return of the sprayer boom means from a rearwardly pivoted position to the normal position; and   the damping means further comprising means to damp the return movement of the sprayer boom means at a graduated rate with the damping rate being greatest when the sprayer boom means is at or near the normal position and with the damping rate being reduced as the sprayer boom means is pivoted away from the normal position.   
     
     
       12. A vehicular sprayer boom mounting comprising: elongate sprayer boom means;   means connecting the sprayer boom means to a vehicle;   means for normally positioning the sprayer boom means in a laterally extending orientation relative to the vehicle;   means permitting the sprayer boom means to pivot freely rearwardly relative to the vehicle in response to engagement of the sprayer boom means with an obstruction;   means for damping the return of the sprayer boom means from a rearwardly pivoted position to the normal position;   the means for damping the return movement of the sprayer boom comprising fluid cylinder means;   means permitting the fluid cylinder means to follow the sprayer boom means during rearward pivotal movement thereof; and   means operatively connecting the fluid cylinder means to the sprayer boom means during return movement of the sprayer boom means so that the fluid cylinder means functions to damp the return movement of the sprayer boom means to the normal position.   
     
     
       13. A vehicular sprayer boom mounting comprising: elongate sprayer boom means;   means connecting the sprayer boom means to a vehicle;   means for normally positioning the sprayer boom means in a laterally extending orientation relative to the vehicle;   means permitting the sprayer boom means to pivot freely rearwardly relative to the vehicle in response to engagement of the sprayer boom means with an obstruction;   mean for damping the return of the sprayer boom means from a rearwardly pivoted position to the normal position; and   the means connecting the sprayer boom means to the vehicle comprising universal joint means connecting the sprayer boom means to the vehicle and accommodating pivotal movement of the sprayer boom means relative to the vehicle about perpendicular axes which are in turn mutually perpendicular to the sprayer boom means.   
     
     
       14. The vehicular sprayer boom mounting according to claim 13 wherein the means for normally positioning the sprayer boom means in a laterally extending orientation relative to the vehicle comprises: bracket means mounted on the vehicle and extending both forwardly and rearwardly from the universal joint means;   a pair of cables each connected to the sprayer boom means at a predetermined point lengthwise thereof; and   means connecting the cables to the bracket means at points located forwardly and rearwardly from the universal joint means.   
     
     
       15. The vehicular sprayer boom mounting according to claim 14 further characterized by: means mounting the bracket means on the vehicle for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis;   means for pivoting the bracket means upwardly whenever the sprayer boom means pivots upwardly; and   means for damping upward and downward pivotal movement of the bracket means.   
     
     
       16. The vehicular sprayer boom mounting according to claim 15 wherein the means for pivoting the bracket means upwardly whenever the sprayer boom means is pivoted upwardly comprises a spring mounted between the vehicle and the bracket means, and wherein the means for damping upward and downward pivotal movement of the bracket means comprises fluid cylinder means connected between the bracket means and the vehicle. 
     
     
       17. A vehicular sprayer boom mounting comprising:  elongate sprayer boom means;   means connecting the sprayer boom means to a vehicle;   means for normally positioning the sprayer boom means in a laterally extending orientation relative to the vehicle;   means permitting the sprayer boom means to pivot freely upwardly relative to the vehicle in response to engagement of the sprayer boom means with an obstruction;   means for damping the return of the sprayer boom means from an upwardly pivoted position to the normal position;   the means for normally positioning the sprayer boom means in a laterally extending orientation relative to the vehicle comprising: bracket means mounted on the vehicle and extending both forwardly and rearwardly from the joint means;   a pair of cables each connected to the sprayer boom means at a predetermined point lengthwise thereof; and   means connecting the cables to the bracket means at points located forwardly and rearwardly from the joint means.     
     
     
       18. The vehicular sprayer boom mounting according to claim 17 further characterized by: means mounting the bracket means on the vehicle for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis; and   means for pivoting the bracket means upwardly whenever the sprayer boom means pivots upwardly;   wherein the means for damping return movement of the sprayer boom functions by damping upward and downward pivotal movement of the bracket means.   
     
     
       19. The vehicular sprayer boom mounting according to claim 18 wherein the means for pivoting the bracket means upwardly whenever the sprayer boom means is pivoted upwardly comprises a spring mounted between the vehicle and the bracket means, and wherein the means for damping upward and downward pivotal movement of the bracket means comprises fluid cylinder means connected between the bracket means and the vehicle.